Wrench



Oct. 6,

A. G. HUGHES WRENCH Filed July 5. 1924 WIT/V5885 A YTORNEYS latented Oct. 6, 1925.

UNITED I STATES ALBERT G. HUGHES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WRENCH.

Application filed July 3,

T0 (1 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT G. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Wrench, of which the following is full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in wrenches, and it pertains more particularly to wrenches of the sliding jaw type.

It is one of the primary objects of the invention to provide a wrench, the adjustment of which may be readily made.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a wrench in which after it is once set, the hand grip on the wrench maintains the jaws in set position.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a wrench which is economical in cost of manufacture, simple in its construction and mode of use, and highly eliicient in its purpose.

With the above and other objects in view, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view in elevation, partly in section, of a wrench constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the wrench comprises a handle member 5 provided with a jaw 6 havin an angular face Adjacent the angular race 7, the handle member 5 is provided with a or shoulder 8. which joins the jaw 6 as at 9. The handle member 5 is provided with a longitudinally extending groove 10, which is shown in Fig. 3 and is dovetail-shaped in cross section. This groove extends from the shoulder 8, preferably to the end of the handle member, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The reference numeral 11 designates a sliding member. and such sliding member is provided with an angularly disposed jaw 12, the face of which is parallel with the face 7 of the jaw 6. This sliding member 11 is provided preferably with a curved outer edge 13 in order that the same may be more readily gripped by the hand of the 1924. Serial No. 724,076.

operator. Carried by the handle member 11 and preferably formed integral therewith, there is a rib or web 1%, and said rib or web is of a dovetail shape corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the groove 10, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, and has sliding contact therewith, the sliding member being inserted through the free end of the slot or groove in order to assemble the parts.

The wrench operates in the following manner:

The jaws 7 and 12 are engaged with the nut or other article to be turned or tightened, and when the two members are gripped they are prevented I from relative movement. Furthermore, owing to the angular displacement of the jaws 7 and 12, the strain imparted thereto and the force exerted thereby tend to cause a tightening of the web or rib 15 within the slot 10, and further aids to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the members, and, consequently, maintains the jaws in gripping position.

When it is desired to change the adjustment of the jaws, it is only necessary to relieve the pressure thereon and the two members 5 and 11 are readily movable relative to each other.

l Vhat is claimed is:

l. A wrench comprising a pair of members each having a jaw and a handle section, and mating means extending long ndinally of the handle sections from the jaws to the ends of the handle sections, and permitting a relative longitudinal movement of said members to vary the distance between the aws, and capable when the handle sections are gripped in wielding the wi ch, of iolding the members and therefore the jaws against relative moven'ient by virtue of frictional contact set up between said mating means.

2. A wrench comprising a pair of members each having a jaw, a dovetail groove in one of said members, and a dovetail portion on the other of said members adapted to fit in said dovetail groove to permit the movement of said members to vary the distance between said jaws and to prevent separation of said members except by the movement thereof requircdfor arying the distance between said jaws.

ALBERT G. HUGHES. 

